2013 PHAA Graduation Ceremonies

When and Where: You have your choice of two graduation ceremonies this year:

The Western PA ceremony is at 7 P.M - 9 P.M. on the evening of
Wednesday, June 11, 2014, in the auditorium on the Penn State New Kensington Campus near Pittsburgh.
Click here for directions to the Penn State New Kensington Campus. Commencement speaker will be PHAA Graduate (class of 2001) and successful Internet entrepreneur Alexa Weber.

The Central PA ceremony is 1 P.M. - 4 PM in the afternoon of
Saturday, June 14, 2014, at the Forum which is just behind the state
capitol building in Harrisburg. Commencement speaker will be homeschool father and family advocate Bruce Gilbert.
Click here for directions to the Forum

Reservations: Just use the form towards the bottom of this page to purchase tickets in advance.
Also, if you have a graduate, make sure your graduate fills in the form at the very bottom of this page and mails it in to be listed in the graduation program. You can buy caps, gowns and tassels from http://www.homeschooldiploma.com/phaa-2011.html. (Order by April 30 for the best price!) Alternatively, graduates could wear a cap and gown obtrained from another source. (We always have a wide variety of colors of caps and gowns to represent the wide diversity of our graduates.)

Price: The price of tickets if paid in advance is $3 per seat in advance, $5 at door (no tickets needed for those graduating). Seating is virtually unlimited in Central PA, but you will need to call ahead (724-783-6512) to reserve tickets at the door in Western PA.

Directions: You will receive directions with your tickets, sent via US mail.

Program: Each graduation ceremony will begin with graduates proceeding into the hall in caps and gowns, accompanied by Pomp and Circumstance, and sit together in a reserved section in front. Following the Invocation and Commencement address (by PHAA parent and world-renowned biochemist Michael Behe, author of the theory of irreplaceable complexity, a component of the theory of intelligent design), selected students will give speeches sharing highlights of their homeschooling, interspersed with poetry and musical performances by graduates and their families. At the end of the evening, families will come up on the stage one by one to award graduates their diplomas. Finally the graduates will lead the procession out of the auditorium.

Who: All homeschooling families with well-behaved children are invited to attend. We expect to have room for as many family friends, relatives, and evaluators as wish to attend.

Clothing: Be sure to wear formal church dress (i.e. no jeans, shorts or T-shirts).

Graduates: You have to be receiving your diploma from PHAA to participate. Families will receive diplomas before the ceremony begins when they sign in. Unfortunately we may not have enough time in the program (especially at the Central PA ceremony) to accommodate all of those who wish to speak or perform. Difficult decisions will be made in order to insure variety and the best possible talks and performances. PHAA evaluation letters will be consulted when it is necessary to choose between similar performances. Preference will be given to performances using live music over those accompanied by CD.

NOTE: You must still send the Diploma Request Form!

Reservation Form

Deadlines: Postmark by the following dates:

May 19:Perform at Ceremony. Those graduates who want to speak or perform at the ceremony must send us a cassette tape, CD, or Internet File postmarked or e-mailed (director@phaa.org) by this date.

June 4:Listing in Program. All graduates receiving their diploma at the ceremony must e-mail or mail their 50 word biography by this date so that it can be printed in the program.

June 4:Buy Tickets for $3 each . Tickets for Harrisburg will also be available for purchase at the door for $5 each. After June 6, if you want to purchase tickets at the door in Pittsburgh, call ahead to reserve them (724-783-6512).

This year’s graduates, please fill in this section and enclose a short (maximum 50 word) biography of yourself written in ‘3rd person’ for the printed program.

Grad’s full name: __________________________________

Would you like to give a 5 minute speech telling some highlights of your home education? (If so, please enclose the current draft of your speech. We will notify you if you are on the program.)
YES NO (circle)

Would you like to present a musical selection, poem, or skit? (If so, please enclose a brief description and time requirements. We will notify you if you are on the program.).
YES NO (circle)